"Why, take them, you fool!"
"Do you mean to steal them?"
"Humph! We mean to _take_ them."
"But do you suppose Captain Sedley and George Weston will let you keep them?"
"They can"t help themselves. We shall take the Sylph, and every other boat on the lake, with us, so that no one can reach us. Do you understand it?"
"I do; but how long do you mean to stay there?"
"All the week."
"And sleep on the ground?"
"We can have a tent."
"How will you live?"
"We shall carry off enough to eat beforehand." Then you see, we can sail as much as we please, and have a first-rate time on the island. I shall be c.o.xswain of one boat, and you shall of the other if you like."
"But we shall have to come home some time."
"In about a week."
"What would my father do to me then?"
"Nothing, if you manage right. If he offers to, just tell him you will run away and go to sea. He won"t do nothing then."
"I don"t know about that."
"He won"t kill you, anyhow. And you will have a week"s fun, such as you never had before in your life."
"The Zephyrs won"t have anything to do with me after that."
"They hate you, Charley, and all they want is to get you out of the club. You are a fool if you don"t leave yourself!"
Charles paused to consider the precious scheme which had thus been revealed to him. To spend a week on the island, and not only to be his own master for that time, but command one of the boats, pleased him very much. It was so romantic, and so grateful to his vanity, that he was tempted to comply with the offer. But then the scheme was full of peril.
He would "lose caste" with the Zephyrs; though, if Tim"s statement was true, he was already sacrificed. His father would punish him severely; but perhaps Tim"s suggestion would be available, and he knew his mother would be so glad to see him when he returned, that she would save him from the effects of his father"s anger. His conscience a.s.sured him, too, that it would be wrong for him to engage in such a piece of treachery towards his friends; but Tim declared they were not his friends--that they meant to ruin him.
Thus he reasoned over the matter, and thus he got rid of the objections as fast as they occurred to him. While he was thinking about it, Tim continued to describe in glowing colors the fun they could have; occasionally relating some adventure of "Mike Martin," "d.i.c.k Turpin," or other villain, whose lives and exploits were the only literature he ever read.
But Charles could not fall at once. There were some difficulties which he could not get over. It was wrong to do as Tim proposed; it was so written on his soul. The "still small voice" could not be silenced. As fast as he reconciled one objection, another came up, and something in his bosom kept saying, "You must not do it."
The more he thought, the more imperative was the command. "Run away as fast as you can!" said the voice within him. "You are tempted; flee from the temptation."
"I guess I won"t join you, Tim," said he.
"You won"t, eh?" replied Tim, with a sneer.
"I think not; I don"t believe it is right. But I won"t say anything about it."
"I rather guess you won"t. It wouldn"t be safe for you to do so."
"I won"t, upon my honor, Tim," replied Charles, rising from his seat, and edging away from his dangerous companion.
"Look here, Charley Hardy; in one word, you"ve got to join the Rovers."
"The what?"
"That"s the name of a society," answered Tim, who had mentioned it without intending to do so.
It was certainly a piratical appellation, and Charles was not prepossessed by it in favor of the society. It had a ring of bold and daring deeds, and his studies had not prepared him to entertain a very high opinion of Tim"s heroes, d.i.c.k Turpin and Captain Kidd.
"You can"t back out now, Master Hardy," continued Tim.
"I don"t want to join you, but I won"t say a word."
"Very well, my fine fellow!" and Tim rose and walked away towards home.
Charles did not like this. He was afraid of Tim; afraid that some terrible thing would happen to him if he did not keep on the right side of him.
Like thousands of others, he had not the courage to do his duty, and leave the consequences to take care of themselves. He was more afraid of the Bunker than of the frowns of an accusing conscience.
"I say, Tim!" he called.
"Well, what you want _now_?" replied Tim, stopping.
"Suppose I don"t join?"
"Then you will be in Rippleton jail before to-morrow night; that"s all."
"What for?"
"No matter; if you come to the meeting to-night, all right; if you don"t--Rippleton jail;" and Tim hastened away, heedless of Charles"s calls.
Rippleton jail! What could he mean by that? He felt guilty, and his heart beat so violently that he could hardly breathe. The stolen purse, which still lay buried on Center Island, seemed to haunt him, and with that he immediately connected Tim"s dreadful threat. His confederate meant to charge him with stealing it. It was all very plain, and his conscience told him how justly he would be accused. He could not go to jail innocent, as Tony had, and be borne home in triumph from the court by the boat club.
His frame trembled with emotion; and he knew not what to do. There was a right way and wrong way for him to proceed--the path of duty and the path of error.
"I will go to Captain Sedley and tell him all about it," said he to himself, "and tell him that they mean to steal the boats."
This was the path of duty; but he had not the courage to walk in it. He would be despised even then, and Tim Bunker would certainly be revenged if he did.
"I _will_ go;" and he actually walked a short distance towards Captain Sedley"s house; but his courage failed him; he dared not do right, and that evening he joined the "Rovers."
Poor Charles!